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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

With New Year’s Eve less than a day away, it is important to talk about how much more dangerous the roads can be at this time of year. We are not talking about ice and snow, but rather alcohol. It is practically a guarantee; more people will drive under the influence between Christmas and New Year’s Eve than any other time of the year. With a plethora of holiday parties, people who don’t typically drink a whole lot, will drink at elevated levels until the “Ball” drops - right into the early morning on January 1, 2016.

Naturally, avoiding the roads as much as possible at night on New Year’s Eve is always a sound decision. A task that sounds easier than may actually be, especially if you have been invited to parties. If you are not in recovery, there is a good chance that you will imbibe and if that is the case it is best to utilize taxi and smartphone driving app services, such as Uber and Lyft.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has launched a new campaign targeting drunk driving over the holiday season, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) press release. The agency is using the box office success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens to reach millions of Americans. In movie theaters nationwide, an advertisement is being shown reminding Americans to 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' this holiday season. The ad is also being shown on television and other media outlets.

“We hope the millions of Americans who will be on the road over the holidays will make the safe choice not to drink and drive,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Across the country, local law enforcement officers will be on the roads, protecting all of us from the risk of drunk driving.”

Most recovering alcoholics know all too well that more people will be driving under the influence at the end of the year; there was a time when they would have been a part of that statistic. Hopefully you have made plans for the eve of 2016 which are conducive to your continued sobriety. It is likely that events are being held in your area which bring sober people together to bring in the New Year. We would like to wish everyone a safe, sober and happy New Year.